Vengeance - Chapter Eight
by Soquilii
Summary: An old nemesis is back!


**122 CONCORD SW**** WASHINGTON DC**

Dr. Udall no longer pursued disease research or germ warfare. His experience with the pig farmer had been a fiasco; the smell of the place had been intolerable; the entire operation, if he were honest with himself, had been clumsy; his efforts had been foiled; his first attempt had been a failure. There were other, more simplified ways to accomplish his goals; other means by which he could prove his point…and seek revenge at the same time.

Such were his thoughts as he emptied the burlap bag of beans into the large, simmering cauldron on the gas stove. The first step, stirring and cooking, would soften the outer coating of the beans. The batch would be allowed to cool, then mashed and filtered. Specific solvents would be added to extract the key component from the solution.

Udall chuckled to himself, thinking how easy it was to make the base. All the ingredients were easily obtainable; practically over-the-counter, but the substance in its most unadulterated form required specialized materials and the mind of a scientist, one who could extract the pure element and refine it to ensure the highest degree of efficacy. The problem was in its delivery. The usual methods were not practical. He would have to aerosolize it.

Once the highly refined product was manufactured and carefully contained, he turned to the next step in his operation.

In prison, Udall had connected with several convicts harshly stung, as he had been, by _Leverage International. _They were only too happy to share their knowledge; a few tricks here, a few tips there, whispered conversations over tin plate lunches, all for no other reason than the satisfaction of a little payback. An entirely new edition of Professor Udall had emerged from the cocoon of a prison cell.

Two envelopes now emerged from the printer. They were perfect. Udall carefully disassembled them and laid them out on the table. With an exacto knife, he cut the 4-mil plastic to fit each envelope precisely. He bonded the plastic to the inside of the envelopes to create an airtight pocket. The plastic would be sturdy enough to contain the material under pressure yet tear upon opening, no matter what technique was used. Surprise was paramount.

Udall reassembled the envelopes. As before, when handling his product, he donned a protective suit to carefully transfer a generous quantity of it to each container. The air pressure chamber stood ready to receive both envelopes. He increased the pressure within to 1500 millibars. Using the glove ports, he sealed each one securely. In a previous, carefully controlled experiment with baby powder, test envelopes had performed satisfactorily. Opening the envelope in normal atmospheric conditions would deliver the contents in a widely disbursed manner.

He chuckled again, excited to be embarking once again on his quest. What was funny about this new scheme was that a governmental agency would commit the act - a quirk of fate not lost on Udall - and no one - no little blonde bitch on the subway - absolutely no one - would be able to interfere. He'd take out the two men who had testified against him and pave the way for more of the same, which could only benefit mankind in the long run; sacrifice was a necessary evil, didn't they know that? The government just needed to be shown! _He had warned them for forty long years_ _and they had crucified him for it_. He would show them. An apocalypse was going to happen one day; some terrorist with the right equipment was going to come along and…

He'd be ready.

Udall whistled softly to himself as he cleaned his equipment and straightened the lab. Riley would certainly be pleased with his progress. Udall left the lab and rode the elevator to the office.

The prissy man looked up as Udall entered the dusty, darkened room. 'How goes your progress, Udall?' he asked.

'Completed. The packages are ready to send to Spencer and the agent. You said you had the means to handle the postmarks; I trust that wasn't idle talk.'

'I never talk in any such _idle manner_, Udall. There are a couple of my, er, contractors in the Portland area. One of them will handle it. I'll send the packaged envelope; he'll ensure a Portland postmark that will satisfy the agent here in DC, rest assured. One day delivery, as you requested. Both should arrive roughly at the same time.'

'Good. I guarantee one hundred percent efficacy. Completely untraceable to us if your contractor does his job,' Udall stated confidently. He sat in a chair, uninvited. 'My…'

'You sound as if you're certain this is foolproof,' Riley interrupted. 'You know, the degree of your overconfidence has always bothered me, Emmett. It's what did you in the last time. You know that, don't you?'

Udall stared at Riley in a way that made shivers run down the scrawny man's spine.

'I've planned this most carefully over the last five years, my friend. You needn't worry. I've covered all my bases. Now, as I was about to say, if I may be allowed to finish; my goals are these: _One,_ my revenge. I take it you don't have a problem with that. _Two,_ as I attempted to do so before, influence our government, which is my own agenda. _Three,_ are you interested, my friend? The ultimate goal is to bring down _Leverage International_ and get my…er…_our_…hands on their considerable assets.'

'How…considerable?'

'In the neighborhood of one hundred fifty million. Maybe more. Like I said, you learn a lot in prison.'

_'That much_, hmm? Split how?'

'Why, fifty-fifty, of course. Unless you wish your men to benefit…but my portion will be half of the total in any case. What you do with your half is your business. After all, I've done all the work, Mr. Riley. You know any more scientists with my level of knowledge? Hmm?'

Riley gave Udall a sour look. He sat silently, thinking a minute. 'I suppose with their Hitter out of the picture, the idea isn't completely ludicrous. I myself once hired the man for…well, the occasional job; he has a formidable reputation. Yes, perhaps with him out of the way it could work…I have, as I said, contractors in that area who could take the other two out…'

'One step at a time, Mr. Riley. One step at a time.'


End file.
